Was Rick Dalton (di Caprio's character) inspired by Clint Eastwood?

I don't know much about Clint's early career, but I do know that he a)was the star of a Western TV show ("Rawhide"), and b)later starred in some spaghetti westerns, two things that he has in common with Rick Dalton. Coincidence? Inspiration? Homage?

Share this Post

Clint Eastwood kind of rose to stardom starting with those Spaghetti Westerns, which were some of best of the genre. Dalton on the other hand was a TV star who's career was on the decline, and the quality of the movies he was making were much lower. At least that's the impression I got.

Share this Reply

Steve McQueen was supposed to be at Sharon Tate's house the night of the Manson murders, but he went on a date with a girl he had met instead. I think the idea of McQueen with his tough-guy image, facing the Manson Family, was probably the initial spark that set this whole story off in Tarantino's imagination.

McQueen also played a bounty hunter in Wanted, Dead or Alive. He never made any spaghetti westerns, though.